Happy Monday! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.

August 23, 2021

Legislative Update

This week budget conferees were named and will continue their negotiations over a state spending plan in the coming week. A side-by-side comparison of both the House and Senate budgets is available on our NCMS legislative blog.

While the budget process is underway, a number of other bills are still making their way through committees. These include:

SB257 — Medication Cost Transparency Act, which seeks to regulate pharmacy benefit managers. This bill passed both House Health and on the House floor with the copay accumulation language that is included. It moved to the Senate, but the Senate did not concur. Stay tuned as we continue to follow this bill.

HB608 — Dignity for Women Who are Incarcerated. We are working closely with the NC Obstetrical and Gynecological Society on this legislation.

SB711 – NC Compassionate Care Act, more commonly referred to as the ‘medical marijuana bill,’ headed back to the Senate Judiciary Committee for discussion. We’ll continue to update you on the status as the bill continues to move through the process.

SB228 — Allow Employers to Offer EPO Benefits. The NCMS spoke against this legislation, which would allow narrow networks, in committee last week. This bill’s next stop is in the House Health Committee. We’ll likely see some of the changes we’re proposing and advocating for, should the bill continue to move forward.

Would Your Patients Benefit from a Y Medical Membership?

If you are a Triangle-area physician, the YMCA of the Triangle in partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has evidence-based chronic disease prevention programs to support your patients through a YMCA Medical Membership program.  You can refer a patient through the NCMS Foundation’s Our Community Health Initiative (OCHI) software platform directly to the YMCA of the Triangle for any of the six program offerings; diabetes prevention, weigh management, high blood pressure, falls prevention, support for cancer survivors, or childhood and family weight management.

Medical Memberships are a bundled service that provide care coordination, a YMCA membership and the evidence-based as prescribed due to your diagnosis.

Find out if a Medical Membership is right for your patients.  Programs are starting soon! Enrollment is open for both in-person and virtual programs in September 2021. Your patients can find out more about cost and program enrollment here.

Learn more about how the YMCA is keeping you safe at their facilities and how patients can prepare for a visit to the YMCA

For additional questions please contact Medical Membership at [email protected] or at 919-582-9396

On Behalf of NC Division of Public Health

The NC Division of Public Health is working to promote awareness of (and referrals to) DSMES services in North Carolina, particularly among health care providers. We are in the process of creating social media marketing material for a toolkit and are seeking provider feedback. We greatly appreciate your time to provide your thoughts and feedback on the material at the link here.

In the News

FDA Agrees To Review Controversial Drug To Prevent Premature Birth, STAT, 8-19-21

Learning Opportunity

August Lunch & Learn Webinar: Second-Order Threats: Preparing for the Downstream Effects & Risks of COVID-19, Thursday, August 26, 2021 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT | Zoom

The devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have no doubt left a lasting impact on the world as COVID-related deaths continue to climb with each day. However, while deaths and hospitalizations continue to be the most notable immediate effect of the pandemic, second-order impacts – i.e., situational health consequences resulting from pandemic-era restrictions – are also plaguing individuals around the world, both worsening many health conditions and creating new ones. Even as medical professionals continue to handle COVID-19 infections, it’s important to also begin preparing to mitigate the downstream effects of the global crisis while taking the necessary steps to ensure the continued success of their practices.

Register here.

This webinar is free, but you must be registered to attend. Space is limited so register early! After you register, you will receive an email confirmation and an email reminder with webinar login instructions.

For questions, please contact the NCMGMA offices at [email protected].

 

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